With the increasing popularity of computer networks, it has become common for merchants to set up online stores for marketing and selling products. These stores typically include electronic catalogs that can be browsed interactively by potential customers via the Internet, an online services network, or another type of system that supports interactive browsing.
Many online stores provide services for customers to access information about their pending and past transactions. The transaction information may include, for example, descriptions of orders placed, the fulfillment status of such orders, and other details of the underlying transaction (payment method, delivery method, etc.). Typically, the online store also permits each customer to create and edit a personal profile, which may include such information as a shipping address, an email address, an electronic wish list, and information about the customer's preferences.
Customers typically may access their account information by choosing to enter an “accounts” section of the online store (e.g., by selecting a “My Account” or “My Profile” link) wherein the customers may track orders, alter contact information, change preferences, sign up for new promotions, and so forth. While an accounts section provides customers with detailed information about their accounts, accessing the accounts section while using the online store is sometimes inconvenient and disruptive of the online shopping experience. Further, the task of locating a particular transaction may be tedious and time consuming if the customer's transaction history is large.